Families of September 11 is now operating as the For Action Initiative. The web pages on this site are available for informational purposes only. Please visit us at www.foractioninitiative.org.

Newsworthy - In the News

November 14, 20119/11 James Zadroga Compensation Fund Registration Now OpenThe 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund Recently reopened to first responders and survivors of the attacks on the World Trade Center. Applicants must register and submit eligibility forms though the program's website. The forms can be accessed by clicking on the link above. http://www.vcf.gov/

September 9, 2011Killing in the Name to Air on HBOKilling in the Name tells one terror survivor’s compelling story. It honors victims who have suffered at the hands of violent extremism, and demonstrates that survivors of terrorism can turn the tide by speaking out against attacks. The flm was produced by Families of September 11 founder and former board member Carie Lemack.
The film, which was an oscar nominee for best documentary, debuts on September 14 (8:00 - 8:45 p.m.) and encores on September 16 (1:30 p.m.), September 18 (9:00 a.m.), September 25 (5:25 a.m.) and September 30 (5:30 p.m., 5:15 a.m.).

July 27, 20114 Action Initiative Releases K-12 Curriculum on Global Security, Terrorism, and 9/11The curriculum, Learning From the Challenges of Our Times: Global Security, Terrorism, and 9/11 in the Classroom, is a collaborative effort of Families of September 11, the New Jersey Department of Education's Commission on Holocaust Education, and Liberty Science Center. In order for students to think critically about the events of 9/11, they need to understand the broader context in which the attacks occurred. The 4 Action Initiative curriculum places the events of September 11th in a larger and more meaningful educational context by providing an opportunity for students to learn about the complexities of today’s world: threats to global security and terrorism, factors that contribute to terrorism, consequences of an attack and finally, what can be done to prevent such events from occurring in the future. Developed over a three year period and piloted in schools throughout New Jersey, the lesson plans are now available on line to all teachers. Click on link to access lesson plans.https://sites.google.com/site/the4actioninitiative/

July 21, 2011WTC Survivors Given Opportunity to Visit 9/11 Museum and MemorialSurvivors of the 9/11 terror attacks on the World Trade Center attacks were told by NYC officials last week that they would not be allowed to attend the commemoration ceremony at the WTC site this September 11. Since that announcement, the WTC Survivors Network has obtained passes for 75 people to visit the memorial on Sept. 12, one day after the official commemoration ceremony.
To learn more and find out how to obtain tickets, click on link.
http://www.dnainfo.com/20110718/downtown/911-survivors-excluded-from-10th-anniversary-ceremony-plan-visit-one-day-later

July 19, 2011Manhattan and Brooklyn Community Meetings To Be Held On Implementation of Zadroga 9/11 Victims Compensation Legislation With an early August deadline for community input fast approaching, Advocates for Justice, a non-profit public interest law firm, will be holding three community meetings during the next 10 days in Manhattan and Brooklyn to share information about The Zadroga 9/11 Victims Compensation Act with residents of communities impacted by the terrorist attacks on 9/11/2001.
These meetings will take place in Battery Park City, at the Museum of Jewish Heritage, in Chinatown at the Lin Sing Association, and in northwest Brooklyn at Brooklyn's Borough Hall. Each meeting will provide an update regarding the potential eligibility of neighborhood residents to receive free medical treatment or financial compensation as a result of harm endured on or within six months after 9/11.
Wed, July 20, 6-7:30 pm: Museum of Jewish Heritage, Battery Park City
Sat, July 23, Noon-1 pm: Lin Sing Association, Chinatown
Tue, July 26, 4:30-6 pm: Borough Hall, Brooklyn
There will be short presentations from panelists, with most of the time reserved for questions from meeting attendees. One panelist at the first meeting will be attorney Sean P. Riordan, who has been lead counsel to The FealGood Foundation, a first-responder organization that led the lobbying effort for the Zadroga bill. Mr. Riordan is familiar with recent developments with the ever-changing legal environment surrounding the administration of the Zadroga Bill.

April 20, 2011Update From Global Survivors' NetworkIn the aftermath of the Oscars, GSN continued to share the important message of Killing In The Name with audiences around the globe and received exposure from the international press. Click on the link to read about their impact in Vienna, Indonesia, the United Kingdom and Brussels, and watch interviews with GSN co-founder Carie Lemack on Frost Around the World and Sky News.
http://my.westhill-mailer.co.uk/BWU-EKLV-381D5GAC5F/cr.aspx

April 4, 2011Co-chair of 9/11 Commission Testifies Before Senate CommitteeFormer Governor Thomas Kean who co-chaired the Public Dicourse Commission with Rep. Lee Hamilton spoke to a US Senate committee investigating progress in implementing the Commission's recommendations. Click on link to learn more.http://www.northjersey.com/news/opinions/op-ed/kelly_040311.html

March 31, 2011Former Deutsch Bank Site to Become Welcoming Area for September 11 National MemorialThe Lower Manhattan Development Corporation will allocate $800,000 to turn the construction site where the Deutsche Bank building once stood into a gathering plaza for tourists visiting the Sept. 11 memorial. To learn more click on link.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/01/wtc-site-to-get-911-welco_n_843737.html

February 23, 2011 New Study Reveals Persistence of 9/11 Related Anxiety for SurvivorsThe implication of the findings, according to the study, “is that the impact of terrorism on survivors, particularly those in low socioeconomic positions, could be substantial,” since PTSD is tied to other disorders and harmful behaviors that effect daily functioning, wellness, and relationships.
http://www.downtownexpress.com/de_408/newstudy.html#

February 2, 2011FOS11 Co-founder Addresses Counter-terrorism Experts in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Carie Lemack, a co-founder and former board president of Families of September 11 spoke to a panel of experts at the United Nations Working Group on Countering the Use of the Internet for Terrorist Purposes in Saudi Arabia. Click on link to read some of Ms. Lemack's remarks.
http://kosu.org/2011/02/agencies-aim-to-counter-threat-of-online-extremism/

January 24, 2011Killing in the Name Receives Oscar NominationThe Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today that the film Killing in the Name has been nominated for the best documentary - short, Oscar award. The film was produced by Carie Lemack, a founder and former board member of Families of September11. Click on link to learn more. http://www.globalsurvivors.org/content.aspx?menu=main&pageid=6

January 19, 2011NYC Police Commissioner Outlines Plans For Security at WTC SiteCommissioner Raymond Kelly indicates that Over 600 personell will be assigned to the World Trade Center and surrounding area. Plans for security are being developed by a deputy commissioner for the World Trade Center command.http://online.wsj.com/article/APc6f1ad03b44d416b9dc72bd521783eb6.html

January 10, 20119/11 Museum to Include Stories of Lower Manhattan Residents and Rescue and Recovery WorkersAlice Greenwald, the Museum Director for the National September 11 memorial and Museum indicates that the Sept. 11 Museum will give visitors a feeling for what it was like for residents and workers whose lives were changed on that fateful day. Exhibits will focus on the stories of downtown resisents who were affected as well as first responders, many of whom became ill after exposure to toxic materials. Click on link to learn more.
http://tribecatrib.com/news/2010/december/846_sept-11-museum-to-remember-residents-and-recovery-workers.html

December 21, 2010Senate Supporters Struggle to Save 9/11 Health BillSenator Kirsten E. Gillibrand said Saturday that she and other sponsors of a stalled 9/11 health bill had won new Republican support for the measure and intended to try again to pass it before the end of the 111th Congress.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6BI1ZV20101220

November 4, 2010Update on the Construction of the National September 11 Memorial and Museum A progress report from Joe Daniels, President and C.E.O. of the National September 11 Memorial and Museum.http://downtownexpress.com/de_393/countdown.html

August 24, 2010Sample Lessons from the 4 Action Initiative Now AvailableEight lessons developed by the 4 Action Initiative are now available as part of the educational resources of the 9/11 National Day of Service. The lesson plans can be accessed at http://www.911dayofservice.org/911-lesson-plans.
The eight lessons currently posted represent a small fraction of the full curriculum. Hundreds of lessons across seven units in multiple subject areas for children in grades K-12 have been developed by volunteer teachers in New Jersey. In September 2010, the lesson plans will be released to New Jersey educators through the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education. The 4 Action Initiative is working to make the entire curriculum available nationwide in 2011.
The curriculum approaches the broader global context of terrorism and prompts students to use critical thinking to draw their own conclusions about peace and security issues in the world we live in today. Lessons selected to be part of the 9/11 National Day of Service education resource come from one of the seven units and are specific to teaching students during the anniversary of September 11th. Other units include lessons on human behavior and major acts of terrorism in other countries and terrorist groups.
The 4 Action Initiative, a joint project of Families of September 11, the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education and Liberty Science Center, was launched with in 2008. Former New Jersey Governor Thomas Kean, who also served as the chair of the 9/11 Commission, spoke at the kick-off event where more than 100 teachers representing all grade levels and subjects explored how to create a guide for educators about terrorism.
A team of volunteer teachers developed the lessons in 2009 under the direction of Paul Winkler, the Executive Director of the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education. Between October 2009 and April 2010, a number of schools in New Jersey, representing urban, suburban and rural districts as well as the different regions of the state (south, central and northern) piloted the lessons. Evaluations of the lessons, along with samples of student work were submitted to the committee at the end of April and analyzed. Revisions of the lessons are now underway. In September 2010, the revised lesson plans will be released to New Jersey educators through the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust education.
For further information about the project, please visit https://sites.google.com/site/the4actioninitiative/home.

July 20, 2010September 11 Deadline
If you did rescue, recovery or cleanup work, paid or volunteer, in the year after Sept. 11, 2001, your WTC-12 Form must be received by Sept. 10, 2010, and your NYCERS Form 622 by Sept. 11 to protect your right to Workers' Comp benefits and a disability pension.
For more information, click on link. www.wtc-exams.org.
http://www.nycosh.org/pdfs/WTC-12_08.pdf

July 18, 2010Colleges Offer More Courses on Counterterrorism and Emergency ManagementMore American colleges are offering classes that teach students to deal with a shrinking and increasingly dangerous world. Whole programs — anti-terrorism, emergency management, cybersecurity, environmental pollution control — are designed to prepare students for lucrative careers battling the things that scare us. Click on link to read article.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128538107

July 6, 2010Senate Committee Holds Hearing on Continuing Needs of Communities Affected by 9/11Dr. John Howard, director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and others testified before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. The Senate hearing was the first on a bill providing compensation to rescue and cleanup workers whose health was damaged by exposure to environmental risks at the World Trade Center site. Click on link to read testimony presented by Dr. Howard and others.http://help.senate.gov/hearings/hearing/?id=6136100d-5056-9502-5d04-a183825e9a8b

June 23, 2010Lawyers in 9/11 Health Lawsuits Reveal Range of Settlement PaymentsInformation on compensation payments to people who became ill as as a result of their work during the 9/11 rescue and recovery efforts was released yesterday. The payment schedule involves 10 categories which in addition to death include cancer, respiratory ailments, and gastro-intestinal illnesses and other disorders. The amounts will range from under $10,000 to more than $1,000,000. Click on link to read article. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/23/nyregion/23settlement.html?ref=nyregion

June 22, 2010NY Elected Officials Continue to Push for 9/11 Health BillThe U. S Senate will hold its first hearing on the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act on June 29th. A House version of the bill has been endorsed by two committees, but has yet to come up for a vote. The House bill would pay up to $8.2 billion to people who fear they might have been sickened by the dust, and set aside another $5.1 billion for medical care. Click on link to read article.
http://dnainfo.com/20100618/financial-district-battery-park-city/911-health-bill-gets-first-senate-hearing-this-month

June 15, 2010Potential Conflict Seen Between WTC Health Suit Settlement and James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation ActTwo potential benefits for those suffering from 9/11 related illnesses may require elegible beneficiaries to choose between them. People opting to benefit from the pending $713 million agreement between the City of New York and 9/11 Health Suit litigants, may disqualify themselves from any benefits available under the James Zadroga Health and Compensation Bill being considered by congress. Click on link to learn more.http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100611/ap_on_re_us/us_attacks_health

June 8, 2010NYC to Close 9/11 Mental Health Benefits ProgramThe New York City Department of Health has announced that it will be ending the 9/11 Mental Health benefits Program at the end of 2010. The NYC 9/11 Benefit Program for Mental Health and Substance Use Services is funded and overseen by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, with benefit access coordinated by the Mental Health Association of New York City.
The program includes: reimbursement for covered out-of-pocket costs for mental health and substance use services; benefit coordinators to help with eligibility and enrollment; trained agents to process claims and answer claims-related questions.
While mental health related services will still be available to 9/11 first responders through the 9/11 Health Centers of Excellence, others in the program will be forced to seek services elsewhere.
http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local-beat/City-to-Cut-Mental-Health-Program-for-WTC-Responders-95693109.html

May 28, 2010Deadlines Approaching for WTC Workers’ Compensation, DisabilityTwo important deadlines are approaching for rescue, recovery, and cleanup workers who served at the World Trade Center. To learn more about registering for Workers’ Compensation and Disability by September 2010 click on link.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/wtc/html/news/2007-3.shtml

May 25, 2010Center For Biosecurity's “Resilient American Communities” Report
On December 10, 2009, the Center for Biosecurity of UPMC convened an invitational conference in Washington, DC, to apply state-of-the-art knowledge of resilience to the design of federal policies that will strengthen local communities and their environments to withstand disasters, epidemics, and terrorism. The event was hosted in collaboration with the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) and the Natural Hazards Center of the University of Colorado at Boulder. Among the 140 participants were U.S. government officials, congressional staff, policy analysts, scholars, public health and emergency management practitioners, heads of private and nonprofit initiatives to reduce disaster risk, and members of the media. Click on link to read conference summary.http://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/events/2009_resilient_american/pdf/Conf_Summary.pdf

May 3, 2010The World Before and After, a Webcast Produced by the National September 11 Memorial and MuseumThe continuing impact of the attacks of September 11, 2001 on the United States and the global community will be explored through this webcast series. The monthly webcasts were produced exclusively for the National September 11 Memorial & Museum and are hosted by Clifford Chanin, Senior Program Advisor at the Memorial Museum. Each month new interview segments will be posted on this section of the website. Click on link to follow the series.http://www.national911memorial.org/site/PageServer?pagename=new_history_exploring

April 29, 2010Legislation Introduced in U.S. Senate to Honor Those Who Died in Terror Attacks on or After 9/11 Introduced by six Senators, including Senators Arlen Specter and Bob Casey, S. 369 would provide for a medal of appropriate design to be awarded by the President to the next of kin or other representative of those individuals killed as a result of terrorist attacks.http://www.bignews.biz/?id=864979&keys=Senator-Bob-Casey-TerroristAttacks

April 15, 2010NYC Appeals Judge's Ruling in 9/11 Health Suits CaseLawyers representing the the City of New York have filed an appeal seeking to nullify Judge Alvin Hellerstein's decission blocking the agreement reached between lawyers for the plaintiffs and the City. Specifically the city is appealing an order by the judge to have judicial control over the selection of those chosen to oversee the settlement and the doctors retained to assess claims. It also is appealing a ruling that revised the schedule for implementing the settlement and a ruling that called for an additional hearing in the case.http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/15/nyregion/15zero.html?src=mv

April 9, 2010National 9/11 Museum and Memorial The National September 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center, which is scheduled to open to the public in September 2012, will feature re-creations of the vigils and makeshift memorials that sprang up around the city and the eight-month cleanup of the destroyed World Trade Center in exhibits focusing on New Yorkers' post-9/11 experience. The exhibits will be enhanced with the recorded testimony of witnesses from around the globe, captured in real time by cell phone messages, radio transmissions and video, and in recorded interviews with rescue workers, evacuees and others within minutes of the collapse, Museum Director Alice Greenwald said. Click on link to learn more.http://www.northjersey.com/news/ny_metro/ny_city/040810_911_museum_to_re-create_the_post-attack_landscape_.html

April 2, 2010Global Survivors of Terrorism Co-sponsors Event in Lahore, Pakistan to Commemorate Terror Attack To remember those killed in the 7 Decemeber 2009 twin suicide bombings in the Moon Market in Lahore, Global Survivors Network and Pakistan Terrorism Survivors Network, in collaboration with the Qaumi Tajar Ittehad, Moon Market, unveiled a memorial plaque in the Moon Market across from the site of one of the blasts on Tuesday, 30 March 2010.
http://www.asianimage.co.uk/world/6608872.Survivors_remember_Lahore_bombing_victims/

April 1, 2010National September 11 Museum and Memorial Expects 9/11 Memorial to Open For Tenth CommemorationThe head of the New York/New Jersey Port Authority stated that he expects the 9/11 Memorial being built as part of the National September 11 Museum and Memorial will be open by September 11, 2011. "Opening the 9/11 Memorial on the 10th anniversary of the attacks is our highest priority, and the framing of the signature pools is a tangible sign that we are continuing to make significant progress to meet our commitment," Port Authority Executive Director Chris Ward said. He cautioned that the museum itself would not be open to the public until 2012. http://gothamist.com/2010/03/31/911_memorial_will_be_ready_by_next.php

March 30, 2010PA and Silverstein Properties Reach Tentative Agreement on WTC ConstructionThe Port Authority, the City and Silverstein Properties have reached an accord to end that will allow the developer to build two towers at Ground Zero, the parties announced Thursday, ending a dispute that has been dragging on for over a year.
http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20100325/REAL_ESTATE/100329894

March 29, 2010Oral Histories of 9/11 Will Be Made Available at WTC Preview CenterRecordings of people's experiences and memories of the 9/11 attacks which were recorded and compiled by Story Corps over the past several years will be available to the public at the 9/11 Memorial Preview Site in lower Manhattan. Many of the audio recordings and items will become part of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, which is under construction. Click on link to read press release.
http://www.national911memorial.org/site/DocServer/OralHistoryNewsReleasefinal.pdf?docID=8041

March 26, 2010Negotiations Continue on 9/11 Health Suits SettlementsAttorneys for both the plaintiffs and the Captive Insurance Company have reentered discussions, trying to reach a settlement that will be acceptible to the court in the law suit filed by those who claim they became ill due to exposure to toxic 9/11 materials. Judge Alvin Hellerstein has demanded that any new settlement offer more compensation to the plaintiffs and that attorneys' fees not diminish the funds available to those who filed the suit. Click on link to learn more. http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202446762518&_Lawyers_Return_to_Bargaining_Table_to_Refine_Settlement

March 23, 2010Lynch Memorial Foundation Has Awarded 63 Scholarships Since 9/11The Lynch Memorial Foundation was created to honor the memory of Firefighter Michael Francis Lynch who died while responding to the World Trade Center attacks. The scholarships are available to children of firefighters and victims of disasters that have occurred in the United States. To learn more click on link or go to: http://www.mlynch.org/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/22/nyregion/22lynch.html

March 21, 2010Lawyer's in 9/11 Health Care Suits Issue StatementAttorneys from the law firm of Worby, Groner, Edelman & Napoli, which represented thousands of workers who claim they became ill as a result of exposure to toxic materials during the WTC rescue and clean up, have issued a statement denying they pressured the plintiffs to accept the agreement reached with the Captive Insurance Company.
The settlement developed by and the City of New York was rejected by the court. Click on link to read article.http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/03/22/2010-03-22_911_lawyers_deny_pushing_to_take_deal.html

March 20, 2010Federal Judge Rejects Settlement Reached in 9/11 Health Law SuitsJudge Alvin Hellerstein cited concerns over the fairness of claim amounts and the process to determine compensation as over-complicated. In addition, the judge said that lawyer fees should be limited and paid by the WTC Captive Insurance Company rather than by the claimants. The settlement, announced last week, would have addressed more than 10,000 claims and would have awarded up to $657 million if all claimants accepted the settlement. http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/worldnation/679982-227/575m-settlement-rejected-for-911-heroes.html

March 17, 2010James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act Advances in CongressThe House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health subcommittee approved by an overwhelming and bipartisan 25-8 vote the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act (H.R. 847). The bill would establish a medical monitoring and treatment program for the Sept. 11 first responders and the community members at the site of the attacks. Click on link to read article.http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2010/03/17/2010-03-17_zadroga_bill_passes_committee.html

March 16, 2010Possible Settlement Reached in 9/11 Health SuitThe City of New York and lawyers representing thousands of workers who claim to be ill after participating in the rescue, recovery and clean-up at the World Trade Center after 9/11, have reached a potential agreement. The settlement, in the amount of $657.5 million dollars would be divided between the plaintiffs based on numerous factors such as proximity to the site, severity of illnesses diagnosed, time of diagnoses, pre-existing conditions, age of victim, and smoking history. Each individual, based on the merit and conditions of their health will receive anywhere from thousands of dollars to more than a million dollars. the proposed agreement would require 95% of the plaintiffs to agree to the settlement. Click on link to learn more.http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/13/science/earth/13zero.html

March 11, 2010Mayor Bloomberg Critical of PA in WTC DelaysIn January, an arbitration panel gave Silverstein Properties and the Port Authority until March 12 to develop a new construction schedule and financing plan for the World Trade Centers site where Silverstein had originally intended to build three massive office towers. Mayor Michael Bloomberg has recently expressed frustration over the failure of the parties to work out their differences. Click on link to read op-ed by Mayor Bloomberg. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/11/opinion/11bloomberg.html

November 17, 20099/11 Workers' Compensation Deadline WTC rescue, recovery and clean-up workers and volunteers must register with the New York State Workers' Compensation Board no later than September 11, 2010 to preserve their right to file for September 11-related compensation in the future. http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/wtc/html/employees/workcomp.shtml#1

September 10, 2009Curriculum on 9/11 and Global Terrorism to be Tested in NJ SchoolsThe idea for the curriculum began with the Families of September 11 and the effort includes the Liberty Science Center, the state Commission on Holocaust Education and about 20 New Jersey teachers.
With guidance from the Commission on Holocaust Education -- which has written not just the state's Holocaust curriculum but also lessons on other acts of genocide -- teachers from around the state gathered several times over the last year to write dozens of lessons about terrorism for all grades. The curriculum cuts across many subjects, including social studies, history, language arts, art and music. Click on link to learn more.http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/09/new_jersey_is_part_of_plan_to.html

April 30, 2009 A Reminder About Provocative Images and EventsOn Monday April 27th the 747 back up plane to Air Force One, followed by an F-16 fighter, circled around lower Manhattan at low altitude, prompting evacuations in several buildings along the river in New Jersey and New York, including the New York Mercantile Exchange and Goldman Sachs in Jersey City. To view the Families of September 11 statement about this incident click on the link.http://www.familiesofseptember11.org/actionalert.aspx?item_id=560&tid=1

April 2, 2009Both Houses of CongressPass Bills to Create a National Day of Service on September 11thWith the passage of the Serve America Act the Senate followed suit with the House of Representatives' approval of the GIVE Act to designate 9/11 as a day of voluntary service. Efforts to promote this legislation were spearheaded by MyGoodDeed and a coalition of 9/11 and other organizations. To learn more, click on the link.Read press release.

March 26, 2009President Signs Spending Bill Containing $70 Million for 9/11 Health Care
President Obama signed into law an omnibus spending bill for fiscal year 2009. The bill includes $70 million in new funding for the current medical monitoring and treatment programs administered by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health at FDNY and the Mount Sinai Consortium. The funds will also cover treatment for residents, area workers and others affected by 9/11. Click on the link below to read the bill.
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:h1105pcs.txt.pdf

March 6, 2009Most 9/11 Lawsuits Settled Through MediationA mediator appointed to oversee the 95 personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits related to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks has announced this week that all but three have been settled.http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20090306/UPDATES01/903060363

February 17, 2009Leading Jurists Call for Urgent Steps to Restore Human Rights in Efforts to Counter TerrorismThe International Commission of Jurists is dedicated to the primacy, coherence and implementation of international law and principles that advance human rights. The commission has just issued a report on the conduct of the war on terrorism and its effect on international law and human rights.
http://www.icj.org/

January 2, 2009"Managing the Psychology of Fear and Terror", a Blueprint of Strategies for Governments, Service Providers and IndividualsPsychology Beyond Borders, a group of leading mental health practitioners committed to informed policy, research, education, and psychosocial service delivery in the prevention, preparedness and response to terror attacks, armed conflict or natural disaster, has released a white paper titled, "Managing the Psychology of Fear and Terror."http://psychologybeyondborders.com/userfiles/file/PBB%20White%20Paper%20Revision.pdf

December 14, 2008 The Project on National Security Reform Releases Recommendations Urging Sweeping Changes to Improve U.S. National Security System The national security system must be massively reorganized if federal agencies are to cooperate and collaborate more effectively to combat the multitude of threats facing the U.S. in the 21st century, according to recommendations released by the Project on National Security Reform (PNSR). Click on link to read the report.http://pnsr.org/data/files/pnsr%20forging%20a%20new%20shield.pdf

December 12, 2008Several 9/11 Families Criticize Military Tribunals at GuantanamoThirty-three relatives of people killed in the 9/11 attacks on the US have denounced the Guantanamo war crimes trials as illegitimate and unfair.http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7776666.stm

December 11, 2008WTC "Survivors' Stairs" Moved to Permanent Location at the World Trade Center SiteThe stairs that led many World Trade Center workers to safety during the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 moved to a new home on Thursday in the National September 11 Memorial & Museum that is now under construction.http://en.epochtimes.com/n2/united-states/survivor-stairs-wtc-8453.html

December 10, 2008Five Detainees in Guantanamo Tribunal Offer to Plead GuiltyFive of the men accused of planning the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks said Monday that they wanted to plead guilty to murder and war crimes but withdrew the offer when a military judge raised questions about whether it would prevent them from fulfilling their desire to receive the death penalty.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/08/AR2008120801087.html

December 4, 2008Governor of Arizona Chosen as Candidate For Homeland SecurityPresident elect Obama has nominated Governor Janet Napolitano to be his Secretary of Homeland Seurity. The Governor of Arizona was vice-chairwoman of the National Governors' Association (NGA) in 2006 when it instituted the Governors' Homeland Security Advisors Council as a forum to bring together the 55 advisors appointed by the governors of each state and territory to share common concerns and develop strategies for managing homeland security threats.http://www.govtech.com/gt/567380?topic=117680

November 21, 2008WTC Tribute Center Continues to Draw Visitors Tribute WTC Visitor Center offers visitors to the World Trade Center site a place where they can connect with people from the September 11th community. Through walking tours, exhibits and programs, the Tribute WTC Visitor Center offers "Person to Person History," linking visitors who want to understand and appreciate these historic events with those who experienced them. To visit the website, clink on the link below.
http://www.tributewtc.org/aboutus/index.php

November 20, 2008National Institute of Standards and Technology Releases Final Report on Collapse of 7 WTC The National Institute of Standards and Technology has issued its final reort on the destruction of World Trade Center Building 7. The paper offers stronger evidence that the collapse was caused by fires which caused steel columns to fail.http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081120144246.htm

November 3, 2008Libya Makes Final Compensation Payments to U.S. Victims of TerrorLibya has paid $1.5 billion into a fund to compensate the families of American victims of Libyan-linked terror attacks in the 1980s, clearing the last hurdle in full normalization of ties between Washington and Tripoli.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-11-01-libya-payments_N.htm?csp=34

October 27, 20089/11 Family Members to be Offered Opportunity to Attend Guantanamo TrialsWith the war court's future uncertain, the Pentagon has made plans to bring victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks -- chosen by lottery -- to watch a hearing of reputed al Qaeda kingpin Khalid Sheik Mohammed's death penalty trial.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/top-stories/story/742841.html

September 3, 2008Objects and Memory Documentary to Air on PBS The documentary Objects and Memory will be shown on PBS stations on Monday September 8, 2008. Objects and Memory, examines meaningful objects and the stories they convey. Beginning soon after September 11, 2001, the film follows, verité style, the efforts of museum curators and everyday folk who were driven to collect and preserve meaningful artifacts. http://objectsandmemory.org/

July 21, 2008Governor Patterson and Mayor Bloomberg Announce That WTC Memorial Will be a PriorityGovernor David Paterson sided recently with Mayor Michael Bloomberg that the September 11th Memorial should be the top priority at the World Trade Center site.
http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=203&aid=83952

July 15, 2008August Deadline Nears for 9/11 WorkersIf you aided in the rescue, recovery or cleanup efforts of the World Trade Center ruins, it is important that you register no later than Aug. 13 with the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board. By registering, you will preserve your right to file a Workers’ Compensation claim, in case you get sick in the future. Click on the link for more information.http://www.dc37.net/news/pep/7_2008/9_11workerscomp.html

July 8, 2008Florida is the Destination of Choice for New York-Area Families of Victims Killed in the Sept. 11 Terrorist AttacksAbout 120 Sept. 11 families from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and the Boston area moved to the Sunshine State between early 2002 and late 2005.http://www.miamiherald.com/news/broward/story/594405.html

July 3, 2008Former Gov. Kean talks with educators about teaching 9/11Former Gov. Thomas Kean met today with New Jersey educators crafting a curriculum for teaching New Jersey's children about the attacks, sharing lessons learned from his experience as chairman of the national 9/11 commission. The setting was a conference kicking off a yearlong effort to develop curriculum and resources for teachers faced with a dual challenge of teaching the history and context of the terrorist attacks in communities that witnessed them.http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/07/former_gov_kean_talks_with_edu.html

June 30, 2008Families of September 11 Co-Sponsors Conference on Developing Curricula For Teaching 9/11 in SchoolsOn Tuesday July 1, 2008 more than 100 educators and leaders in fields such as trauma, Holocaust studies and childhood learning are set to gather at the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City for a daylong symposium on how best to teach the lessons of 9/11 and terrorism. The symposium, which is by invitation and not open to the public is a collaborative effort of the science center, Families of September 11 and the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education of the New Jersey State Department of Education.
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-10/121471548749320.xml&coll=1&thispage=2

June 16, 2008Inaugural WTC Responders Day held at Ground Zero
Emergency responders and volunteers who are enduring lasting health effects from their work at Ground Zero after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center gathered there Saturday for an event billed as the "First Annual WTC Responder Day."
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/newyork/ny-nywtc0615,0,3814961.story

June 13, 2008Long-term 9/11 stress in lower ManhattanMore than 12 percent of lower Manhattan residents exhibited signs of post-traumatic stress disorder as many as three years after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror strikes on the World Trade Center, according to a study released Friday by the city Health Department.
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=579462

May 28, 2008Pentagon 9/11 Memorial Expected to be Dedicated on Seventh Anniversary of AttacksThe memorial being built to remember and honor those who died in the September 11, 2001 attack on the Pentagon will be dedicated on September 11, 2008. The focus of the memorial is 184 cantilevered benches built over a pool of lighted water. Each bench is engraved on the end with the name of one of the 184 people who died on board Flight 77 or in the Pentagon that day.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/05/23/pentagon.memorial/

May 6, 2008Stanford Psychiatrist Shares Thoughts on Emotional Impact of 9/11David Spiegel, MD a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Stanford University School of Medicine discusses the impacts the 9/11 attacks had and continue to have on people's mental health.http://www.dentalplans.com/articles/Stanford%20Psychiatrist%20on/

April 25, 2008Homeland Security To Assist Undocumented Relatives of 9/11 VictimsFederal officials on Thursday opened a path to temporary legal status for illegal immigrants whose spouses or parents died on 9/11, a step the families’ supporters called a breakthrough in the effort to allow them to remain permanently in the United States.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/25/nyregion/25legal.html

April 23, 2008Judge Dismisses 9/11 Suit Against Former Head of E.P.A.
A federal appeals court dismissed a lawsuit against Christie Whitman on Tuesday, ruling that Mrs. Whitman, the former administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, could not be held liable for telling residents, students and office workers that the air was safe to breathe after the terrorist attack in 2001.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/23/nyregion/23whitman.html?ref=nyregion

April 21, 2008Congressional Panel Finds Risk of Nuclear Attack on Rise
Concerned that not enough attention is being paid to the risk of a nuclear attack, a Senate committee yesterday looked at the consequences of such a terrorist strike in Washington -- and said that more could be done to save lives. The committee summoned witnesses who said the risk of such an attack on U.S. cities has grown in the past five years because of the spread of nuclear technology and the growth of a global terrorist movement.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/15/AR2008041502969.html

April 18, 2008U.S. To Televise Guantanamo Trials To 9-11 Families The U.S. military will televise the Guantanamo trial of accused September 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and five other suspects so relatives of those killed in the attacks can watch on the U.S. mainland. The trials will be beamed to closed-circuit television viewing sites on military bases at Fort Hamilton in New York, Fort Monmouth in New Jersey, Fort Meade in Maryland and Fort Devens in Massachusetts.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080418/ts_nm/guantanamo_television_dc

April 18, 2008Attempts To Change Arizona's 9/11 Memorial Fall ShortAn effort to substantially alter Arizona’s official Sept. 11 memorial has failed, ending months of rancorous debate over statements on it that some deemed unpatriotic or irrelevant to the attacks seven years ago.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/17/us/17memorial.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

April 16, 2008Port Authority States WTC Construction Will Not Be Affected by Slow EconomyThe Port Authority chairman said Tuesday that construction at the World Trade Center site is progressing, and should not be slowed by current economic troubles.
http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=203&aid=80549

April 15, 2008The New York State Museum to Open 9/11 Exhibit in Caen, FranceArtifacts, films, and stories from The New York State Museum's permanent September 11th Exhibit will be on display at Le Caen Memorial, a museum of conflict and peace in France. The exhibit, titled "A Global Moment", is due to open on June 6, at the museum which was built to honor those who died on D-Day in 1944 and in the battle of Normandy which followed. http://www.buffalonews.com/180/story/322793.html

April 2, 2008Former Chief Administrator of Victim's Fund Recommends Reopening Fund to Ill 9/11 RespondersKenneth Feinberg the former Grand Master of the September 11 Victim's Compensation Fund, recommended to a congressional committee that the fund be reopened to assist rescue and recovery personnell who responded on 9/11 and are now ill as a result of their efforts.http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=203&aid=80041

April 2, 2008CDC Announces it Will Create National Program to Treat Ill 9/11 Resonders Throughout the CountryCenters for Disease Control and Prevention announced that it will issue a solicitation for sources to provide federally-funded medical monitoring and treatment to thousands of 9/11 responders who live outside metropolitan New York City.
According to the federally-funded World Trade Center Health Registry, people from all 50 states and 431 of 435 Congressional districts nationwide were in lower Manhattan on or after 9/11 and now have serious concerns about their health. In all, more than 10,000 of the 71,000 people enrolled in the Registry live outside the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.
In its announcement, the CDC noted that its request “represents an unusual and compelling urgency from the Government.” Indeed, existing funding for treatment programs outside metro New York, primarily provide by charitable donations from the American Red Cross, are expected to end in the next few months.
The CDC is encouraging interested firms to respond to its announcement by April 2nd.

March 27, 2008City Proposes That NYPD Assume Responsibility For New WTC Site SecurityMayor Bloomberg is recommending that the New York Police Department take over managing security for and access to the new World Trade Center site. The proposal would releive the Port Authority of NY/NJ of its present responsibility for site security.http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/27/nyregion/27wtc.html?ref=nyregion

March 19, 2008Flight 93 Families Reach Agreement on Memorial Site in PennsylvaniaThe Families of Flight 93 have reached an agreement with a coal mining company to buy 1.5 square miles of land for a national memorial to the people killed on one of the airliners hijacked on Sept. 11, 2001, the organization said Tuesday.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080318/ap_on_re_us/flight93_memorial

March 5, 2008WTC Memorial Beams Signed and Stored in Chatham County GeorgiaThe steel that will be used to build the World Trade Center memorial in New York City is being kept in a warehouse in Chatham County.
Four pieces of that steel have some real sentimental value. They are now part of a living memorial, touched by so many people who were touched by the tragedy of 9-11.
http://www.wtoctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7958517&nav=menu89_2